1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording medium retaining data for menu control, a menu control method and an apparatus, each provided for controlling operations in accordance with manipulation of menu buttons on a menu used for replaying information on the recording medium such as a digital video disk or digital versatile disk (DVD).
2. Description of the Related Art
A DVD and a DVD player have been practically utilized. A DVD is an optical disk for recording digitized video and audio data. Of replaying data on a DVD and recording data onto a DVD, a DVD player performs at least replaying data.
In the DVD format (standard), the format of still picture called subpicture that may be overlaid on a moving picture is defined besides normal moving pictures coded in Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) 2. A DVD implements a caption (subtitle) of a movie and a menu with such a subpicture.
In the DVD format, a specific programming language called navigation command is provided for controlling a replay method of a DVD player. Programming in navigation command implements, for example, an interactive program (software) and a replay started at a specific point called chapter such as the start of a highlight scene or a break in a story in a movie or a track on a compact disk (CD) that indicates a break between pieces of music.
An interactive program as mentioned above requires a user-operable picture for interactive questions and answers.
An interactive operation of a DVD player is usually implemented through indirect manipulation by the viewer selecting operation buttons displayed on a menu with cursor keys and so on of a remote controller, instead of direct interactive manipulation using operation buttons of the DVD player or the remote controller. As a result, various types of interactive software may be provided without being restricted by the buttons dedicated to the hardware of the DVD player.
Among menus for such interactive operations, basic ones common to any DVD are defined as DVD system menus. The DVD system menus are frames called up by a viewer through operation of the menu button of the remote controller of the DVD player for replaying a DVD in the DVD player. The format provides that the menu button is required to be added to the remote controller. The DVD system menus include operation buttons displayed on the screen. Various replay patterns are achieved by the viewer through selecting the operation buttons with a cursor key. The format provides that the cursor key is required to be added to the remote controller.
Various types of DVD system menus are defined in the DVD format. FIG. 1 shows an example of chapter menu which is one of the DVD system menus. The chapter menu is a menu including operation buttons arranged on the screen for allowing a direct jump to each chapter.
The chapter menu in FIG. 1 includes six chapter designation buttons 301, two menu selector buttons 302 and two menu page selector buttons 303. Three of the six chapter designation buttons 301 are vertically arranged on the left of the screen and the other three on the right. The two menu selector buttons 302 are arranged side by side below the chapter designation buttons 301.
For authoring such a menu, it is required to create pixel data corresponding to each operation button in accordance with the subpicture format of the DVD. In addition, it is necessary to perform programming in navigation command required for each operation button.
For replaying a DVD using the menu as shown in FIG. 1, the viewer selects the various buttons on the menu and specifies operations with the remote controller. The remote controller includes, for example, an up cursor key, a down cursor key, a left cursor key and a right cursor key for moving a selected operation button vertically and horizontally and a menu enter key for completing the operation of a selected operation button.
In general, a menu displayed on a monitor includes several operation buttons. The viewer presses the cursor keys of the remote controller and temporarily selects one of the operation buttons. The viewer further presses the menu enter key and completes the operation of the selected operation button. According to the DVD format, the color of the selected button is changed or the selected button is framed so as to indicate which button is selected on the screen. Such indication will be called highlighting in the following description. FIG. 2 shows an example of menu wherein one of the operation buttons is highlighted. As shown, the upper-left button 301a of the six chapter designation buttons 301 is highlighted.
Highlighting includes two types. One is select highlighting for indicating that the operation button in the menu is only temporarily selected. The other is action highlighting for indicating that the menu enter key is. pressed to be effective for about one second after the menu enter key is pressed until immediately before the operation is performed. In the example shown in FIG. 2, if the menu enter key is pressed when the upper-left button 301a is in the state of select highlighting, the highlight color turns into the action highlighting state for about one second. The display then directly jumps to the chapter of ‘Scene 1: Introduction’ where a replay is started.
However, indication with simple highlighting as described above, that is, a change of button color or framing only, is not effective enough for informing the viewer of button selection or execution. Such a user interface is not user-friendly. Furthermore, of sixteen colors that may be used for highlighting, up to four colors can be used at the same time. Such simple highlighting lacks expressivity. In terms of product, it is difficult to create a menu attracting the viewer with simple highlighting only.